Truss



L. P. MACK June 22, 1954 TRUSS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. l1, 1952 INVENTOR. LOUIS P. MACK BY: Zim

ATTORNEYS L.. P. MACK June 22, 1954 TRUSS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. ll, 1952 INVENT LOUIS P. M

ATTORNEYS:

Patented June 22, 1954 UNITED STATES this? E iii 41' FFCE 5 Claims. l

This invention relates to an improved truss of the type embodying a truss pad which is adapted to overlie the inguinal canal.

The present invention is an improvement over the truss shown in copending application of Louis P. Mack and Russell A. Winters, Serial No. 163,458 filed May 22, 1950, now Patent No. 2,609,815, granted September 9, 1952.

In that application, there is shown a truss which comprises a truss plate and one or more truss pads detachably mounted thereon.

In order to afford proper relief for inguinal hernia, the truss pad must be located with considerable accuracy with respect to the inguinal canal. I-Ieretofore the truss plate has served to position accurately the pad or pads.

However, the use of a truss plate has certain disadvantages. It is bulky; it prevents circulation of air over the skin and tends to irritate the skin; and, since it is in contact with the body, it serves to diminish the pressure applied by the truss pad to the body.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a truss in which the position and orientation of the truss pad or pads is determined with great accuracy, but in which the truss plate is eliminated. Thus, the objectionable features of a truss plate type of truss are eliminated without sacrificing the advantages thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a truss in which the pressure is concentrated on the truss pad to a greater extent than in the prior art type of construction, but which will still provide a yielding and non-rigid application of pressure to the body.

A still further object is to provide an improved truss of light weight construction and which is characterized by less bulk and increased flexibility as compared with prior art types, thereby providing greater comfort for the user.

Still another object is to provide a truss in which the tension of the leg strap is applied directly to the pad and serves to maintain it in proper pressure contact with the body.

Reference now to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts:

Fig. 1 is a front View of a truss embodying my invention in position on the body of the user;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the truss;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of the truss pad shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified form of my invention.

With reference now to Figs. 1 and 2, the truss cyr comprises an elastic band I0 which is designed to encircle the Waist of the user to hold the truss in position as shown in Fig. 1. A suitable buckle I is provided. One or more truss pads I2 are secured to the band I0 at its inner surface so that the pad will be held against the body of the user. A leg strap I3 extends from the pad I2 through the crotch and around the leg of the user, the outer end being detachably secured to the band I0 by suitable attaching means I4.

In operation, the band I0 overlies the upper portion of the truss pad I2 so that the upper part of the truss pad is pressed against the body. The tension of the leg strap I3 is applied to the lower part of the truss pad so that the truss pad will conform itself to the shape of the body. The truss pad I2 is somewhat resilient, being formed of rubber or a rubber-like material to facilitate this action.

IThe truss pad is provided with projections I5 and I6 which are preferably molded integrally with the truss pad so that they are also flexible. These projections are provided with narrow flexible neck portions I'I and enlarged tapering heads E8. The projections extend through suitably located apertures formed in the elastic band I0, the tapering portions facilitating their insertion, and the shoulder provided by the neck portion tending to lock the pads securely against the inner surface of the band I0, or against the inner surface of a non-elastic fabric IIS which is stitched to the band I0.

The lower end 20 of the pad is of less thickness than the upper end and is provided with a recess 2l which receives the end of the leg strap I3. The parts are secured to each other by a stitching 22.

For relief of inguinal hernia, it is necessary that the pad be oriented so that it overlies the inguinal canal. For this reason, the holes formed in the band and fabric are aligned at an angle corresponding to the desired orientation of the truss pad. The shape of the thigh is such that when the leg strap is passed around it, it will be found that the upper end of the leg strap is in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis cf the truss pad; hence the tension of the ieg strap will be applied to the truss pad in the direction of its longitudinal axis so that the pad will be drawn against the body and will conform itself to the shape thereof.

Heretofore, it has been believed to be necessary to provide a truss plate which overlies the entire length of the truss pad in order to secure the def sired orientation, but by causing the leg straps to directly overlie, or to be attached to the truss pad, I have found that the truss plate can be eliminated.

To whatever extent the natural direction of the leg strap does not exactly coincide with the axis of the truss pad, this variation is accommodated by the flexibility provided by the reduced thickness of the end portion 2t. The projections l5 and i6 determine the direction of orientation of the truss pad with the result that any slight deflection in the direction of force applied by the leg straps will be taken up by a twisting of the end portion 20.

The non-elastic fabric I9 serves to prevent any stretching of the elastic band at its upper portion so that the distance between the two pads I2 will remain constant irrespective of the tension applied to the elastic band l0.

Thus, the position and the orientation .of the two pads l2 remains constant and this is accomplished without the use of a truss plate.

Fig. 5 shows a modication of truss pad 23, which is provided with a plurality of pressure members 2d according to the teachings of the aforesaid copending application. The pressure members are separated by exible connecting portions 25. As in the case of pressure pad E2, pressure pad 23 is provided with a lower end por tion or tab 2S of reduced thickness which is re cessed as at 2l', to receive the end of the leg strap. The dimensions of the tab portion 25 are such as to render it somewhat more iiexible than the flexible connecting portions 25. The pad 23 has projections 28 for detachably securing the same to the elastic band lil.

By disposing the end portions or tabs 2t and 2@ along the front surface of the pad, which is remote from the body of the wearer, and spaced or offset from the rear body engaging surface thereof, the pressure at the lower end of the truss pad is more effectively localized.

Although only preferred embodiments of my invention are shown and described herein, it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the construction shown without departing from the spirit of my invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim: f

1. A truss comprising a belt and a flexible elongate truss pad having a longitudinal axis with respect to whichthe outline of said truss pad is substantially symmetrical, said belt having a plurality of holes formed therein, and said truss pad being formed with projecting ngers extending through said holes whereby the orientation of the longitudinal axis of said truss pad with respect to said belt is xed, the belt overlying the upper end of said truss pad so that the lower end extends downwardly beyond said belt, and a leg strap attached to the lower end of said truss pad and being normally oriented in the same direction as said truss pad so that the tension applied to said leg strap will be transmitted to said truss pad in substantially the direction of its orientation to cause the same to bear against the body of the wearer, the lower end or said truss pad being provided with a recess, and an end of said leg strap being disposed within said recess and secured therein.

2. A truss comprising a belt and a ilexible elongate truss pad having a longitudinal axis with respect to which the outline of said truss pad is substantially symmetrical, said belt having a plurality of holes formed therein, and said truss pad being formed with projecting lingers extending through said holes whereby the orientation of the longitudinal axis of said truss pad with respect to said belt is fixed, the belt overlying the upper end of said truss pad so that the lower end extends downwardly beyond said belt, and a leg strap attached to the lower end of said truss pad and being normally oriented in the same direction as said truss pad so that the tension applied to said leg strap will be transmitted to said truss pad in substantially the direction of its orientation to cause the same to bear against the body of the wearer, the lower end of said truss pad being of less thickness than the remainder of said truss pad so as to provide a flexible tab portion, a downwardly opening recess formed in the lower edge of said tab portion, and an end of said leg strap being disposed within said recess.

3. A truss as claimed in claim 2 in which said flexible tab portion is spaced forwardly of the rear body engaging surface of said truss pad whereby the pressure applied by the lower end o1 said truss pad is localized at said body engaging rear surface thereof.

4. A truss comprising a belt and a nexible elongate truss pad having a longitudinal axis with respect to which the outline of said truss pad is substantially symmetrical, said belt having a plurality of holes formed therein, and said truss pad being formed with projecting fingers extending through said holes whereby the orientation of the longitudinal axis of said truss pad with respect to said belt is fixed, the belt overlying the upper end of said truss pad so that the lower end extends downwardly beyond said belt, and a leg strap attached to the lower end of said truss pad and being normally oriented in the same direction as said truss pad so that the tension applied to said leg strap will be transmitted to said truss pad in substantially the direction of its orientation to cause the same to bear against the body of the wearer, said belt comprising an elastic band, and having a piece of non-elastic fabric secured to said elastic band at a point adjacent the location of said truss pad, whereby variations in the tension and length of said elastic band due to body movements will not aiect the position of said truss pad.

5. A truss comprising an elastic band, a length of non-elastic fabric secured thereto to provide a non-elastic belt portion, a pair of flexible elongate truss pads secured to said non-elastic belt portion with their upper ends overlain thereby, leg straps attached at one end to the lower ends of said truss pads, and attaching means at the opposite ends of said leg straps for attaching the same to said belt under tension, whereby the tension of said leg straps will be transmitted to said truss pads.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,022,474 Miller Nov. 26, 1935 2,609,815 Mack et al. Sept. 9, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Y Date 1,397 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1889 

